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Charles and James Latimer #2
Happy Returns: A Ghostly Comedy
Emboldened by strong drink, tourists James and Charles Latimer met an untimely end while foolishly trying to stop a German advance during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and were put to their not-so-eternal rest in a cemetery in a small French village. But whenever a relative is in trouble, these two benevolent spooks rise from the grave to use their unique talents to right wrongs. This time it's 1954 and they're off to Lake Como in Italy where Uncle Quentin finds his confirmed bachelor status is in serious danger from an eager widow who just won't take no for an answer. Along the way, they learn how to drive - more or less - an automobile, outwit a couple of bank robbers, stage an old-fashioned duel, and solve a murder with a little help from the victim, a fellow ghost. Accompanying them on the journey is their pet monkey. Ulysses, whose love for wine and adventure wreaks havoc on a small French garrison town when he helps free a bevy of circus animals, including an educated elephant who feels the show must go on.
- GenresParanormalMysteryFantasy
156 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
30 people want to read
About the author
Manning Coles
48 books10 followersFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Manning Coles is the pseudonym of two British writers, Adelaide Frances Oke Manning (1891–1959) and Cyril Henry Coles (1899–1965), who wrote many spy thrillers from the early 40s through the early 60s. The fictional protagonist in 26 of their books was Thomas Elphinstone Hambledon, who works for the Foreign Office.
Manning and Coles were neighbors in East Meon, Hampshire. Coles worked for British Intelligence in both the World Wars. Manning worked for the War Office during World War I. Their first books were fairly realistic and with a touch of grimness; their postwar books perhaps suffered from an excess of lightheartedness and whimsy. They also wrote a number of humorous novels about modern-day ghosts, some of them involving ghostly cousins named Charles and James Latimer. These novels were published in England under the pseudonym of Francis Gaite but released in the United States under the Manning Coles byline.
Many of the original exploits were based on the real-life experiences of Coles, who lied about his age and enlisted under an assumed name in a Hampshire regiment during World War I while still a teenager. He eventually became the youngest officer in British intelligence, often working behind German lines, due to his extraordinary ability to master languages. Coles had 2 sons (Michael and Peter, who were identical twins and who are both still alive, living in the UK) and the Ghost stories were based on the tales he used to tell his young sons when he was 'back from his travels'.
Manning Coles is the pseudonym of two British writers, Adelaide Frances Oke Manning (1891–1959) and Cyril Henry Coles (1899–1965), who wrote many spy thrillers from the early 40s through the early 60s. The fictional protagonist in 26 of their books was Thomas Elphinstone Hambledon, who works for the Foreign Office.
Manning and Coles were neighbors in East Meon, Hampshire. Coles worked for British Intelligence in both the World Wars. Manning worked for the War Office during World War I. Their first books were fairly realistic and with a touch of grimness; their postwar books perhaps suffered from an excess of lightheartedness and whimsy. They also wrote a number of humorous novels about modern-day ghosts, some of them involving ghostly cousins named Charles and James Latimer. These novels were published in England under the pseudonym of Francis Gaite but released in the United States under the Manning Coles byline.
Many of the original exploits were based on the real-life experiences of Coles, who lied about his age and enlisted under an assumed name in a Hampshire regiment during World War I while still a teenager. He eventually became the youngest officer in British intelligence, often working behind German lines, due to his extraordinary ability to master languages. Coles had 2 sons (Michael and Peter, who were identical twins and who are both still alive, living in the UK) and the Ghost stories were based on the tales he used to tell his young sons when he was 'back from his travels'.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 11, 2021
2021 bk 137: The Latimer Ghosts are back - and again showing up to help cousins Jeremy and Sally solve a problem. When their cousin Quentin is beseiged by the former love of his life, all four cousins ride to the rescue, but getting there is half the battle. The ghostly twins just miss riding with Jeremy and Sally and have to try their hand at driving a car (not successful) and then catching a ride with a coach tour. Along the way the duo has the opportunity to help a number of people, and even Ulysses gets into the act at the border. It takes all of their resources to free Quentin from Poppy's clutches and a cast of characters that includes a former thief, an efficient manager, a count and his wife, and a doctor in pursuit of poltergeists by the end of the book. Great fun!
April 17, 2020
In this second installment of their picaresque adventures, ghostly cousins Charles and James Latimer--and their pet monkey, killed by a firing squad during the Franco-Prussian War, are permitted to return to aid a family member in distress. Another delightful Thorne Smith-like comedy supernatural adventure.
July 24, 2010
Second in the series about the scrapes and antics of the Latimer family--American or English, living or dead.
January 26, 2015
A charming ghost story from the 1950s, with some laugh out loud bits.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews